Improvement in mowing-machines



' S. COMFORT, Jr.

Mower.

Patented March 18, 1856.,`

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r fen/Valar y 4 UNITED4 STATES PATENT EETCE.

sAMn. COMFORT, Je., or MoREIsVrLnE, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MOWING-IVIACHINES.

Specification forming part ot' Letters Patent No. 14,445, dated March 18, 1356.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL COMFORT, Jr., of Morrisville, Bucks county, Pennsylvania,

, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mowing-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ot' reference marked thereon.-

My invention relates to that class of mowward over other guide-wheels to the above-mentioned passagean arrangement which enables me to make use of an advantageously-narrow cutter-bar, and to adopt a simple and light system of gearing for driving the said chain ot cutters at an increased speed and with better cutting effect.

In order to enable others skilled in the artto make and use myinve-ntion, I will nowproceed to describe its construction and operation.

On reference to the drawings which form a part of this specification, Figure l is a perspective view of a mowing-machine, showing my improvements; Fig. 2, an end view ofthe same, lookingl in the directionof the arrow, Fig. l, and showing a part of the inclined box removed for the purpose of exhibiting a portion of the endles chain of cutters. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line l 2, Fig. 2, and repre-v sents the course taken by the endless chain of cutters. Fig. 4 is a transverse section, drawn to an enlarged scale through the line 3 4:, Fig. l.I

The same letters of reference allude to similar parts throughout the several views.

A is the back bar ot' the frame-work, to which are attached the two diagonal side bars, B and B. In front the side bar B, cutter-bar C, the inclined box D, and the shoe E are secured together, as are'also the bar B', the opposite end ot' the cutter-bar C, the inclined bars F, and the bent shoe G. To the latter is also secured the barv H, which is framed into the inclined bars F, secured to the back bar, A, and connected to the bar H bythe cross-pieces I, J, K, and L. This bar H is likewise secured to the end ot' the back bar, A, and has another inclined bar, M, framed into its side. rlhe top otthisbar Misconnected tothe barsFand boxD by the horizontal bar N, part ot' which forms the top of the box O. The interior of the latter communicates with the interior ot the box D at one end, and terminates in an opening at the other end, where the inclined bars F meet the horizontalv bar N.

. To the under side ofthe cutter-bar@ are secured any convenient numberot' teeth,P,ot`t.he peculiar shape shown in Figs. 1 and 4. These teeth are Hat at the bottom under the cutterbar, a short distance from the front of which they incline upward with a'curve and terminate in points. From this pointth'ey incline np-.

ward in a contrary direction and terminate in projections a, a short distance from the end of which are notches'b. In the plan view of the teeth, asy shown in Fig. l, it ,will be seen that they are .on one side straight and at right angles to the cutter-bar from the point to the ends of the projections c, and on the other side inclining from the points to thenotches b. From this point to their termination the projections a are parallel.

On again referring to Fig. 4, it will be' observed that a plate, Q, is secured to the top ot the cutter-bar C. This plate projectsinfrontof the latter so that its edge shall cover but not touch the small lips e on the teeth.V The bar C and plate Q are so arranged in respect to each other and to the teeth .B as to form a passage,f, which communicates at one end with'the interior otl the'box D and at the other end with the interior-of the box R,situated at thejunction ofthe shoe Gr, bar B', inclined bars F, and bar H. This box is open at the top, as seen in Fig. 3. In order to steady the upper portion of the frame-work, I connect the horizontal bar N by a diagonal brace, F, to the lower frame.

An endless chain formed ot' angular cutters d and links h, jointed together in any suitable manner, traverses the passage f, so that the' cutters projecting from the said chain shall pass between and be guided by the lips e on the teeth P and the plate Q on the bar c, the points ot' the cutters reaching nearly to the point ot' junction of the projections d with the body of the teeth. The chain passes horizontally along t-he passage f .until it reaches the treble-toothed guide-wheel S, which turns loosely on a pin in the box R. The chain, with its links caught ou the teeth of this wheel, takes an upward direction until it meets the teeth on the wheel T. From this point it inclines toward the guide-wheel U, turns overthe latter. passes along the interior ot the hollow box O, over the guide-Wheel W, down the box I), round the guide-wheel X to the passage f, before described.

It will be observed that the toothed wheel U turns on a pin in the bracket V, suspended from the horizontal bar N. This bracket is so arranged as to be capable of being slid backward and forward on the bar, and so adjusted thereto as to keep the chain sufficiently tight against the wheel T for the teeth on the latter to catch into the links. The wheel T is secu red to the shaft Y, which has its bearings at one end in the standard k on the cross-bar K and at the other end on the cross-bar J. Beyond the latter the shaft is furnished with a beveled pinion, Z, which gears into the bevel-wheel m on the shaft a. The wheel itself is loose on the shaft, and has aprojecting hub with ratchetteeth fitting into similar teeth on the clutch p, which is secured permanently to the shaft n.

On the back of the wheel m is another hub with a groove into which tit projections from the lever q, which has its fulcrum on the crossbar J, and which is guided at the opposite end in a staple, i, on the cross-bar I. This level' is so arranged that by removing a piu in the staple i" it may be so operated as to draw the wheel m out of gear with the pinion Z when required. The lever is moreover suciently yielding, when even the wheels are in gear, to cause the inclined portion of the ratchet-teeth on the hub of the wheel to slip over those of the permanent clutch p whenever the shaft is turned in a contrary direction to that pointed out by the arrow.

The shaft n has its bearings in boxes secured to the bars H and H', and is furnished at the end with a driving-wheel, u, similar to those of ordinary mowing-machines.

The opposite corner of my machine is furnished with a supporting-wheel, fu, which turns on a pin attached to the bar B and bent stay w. Two bent rods, a: and y, are connected at l one end to the shoe E and at the other to the bar B, the rod x serving to divide the stalks of grain or grass and bend them toward the cutters, and the rod y bending them to one side of the machine in another direction. A pole, z, by which the machine is drawn over the ground, is framed into the cross-bar K and confined by a staple to the cross-bar L.

The machine being in operation, motion is communicated through the driving-wheel u to the bevel-wheel m, thence through the pinion Z to the shaft Y and toothed wheel T, which causes the chain ot' cutters to traverse in the direction already-explained, and shown in Fig. 3. The object of the notches b on the cutters P is in order to confine the stalks of' grain or grass while they are acted upon by the inclined edge of the cutters.

'I am aware that endless chains of knives have been heretofore used in connection with mowing-machines, arranged, however, to traverse horizontally and'confined to the cutterbar, which involves the necessity of having the latter ot' inconvenient width. By my arrangement the cutter-bar is advantageously narrow, and by a simple and light system of gearing I am enabled to operate the chain at a most effective speed.

I do not desire to claim the use of endless chains ofcutters for mowing-machines, nor any particular method ot'constructing such chains; but

` What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is i The employment, in mowing-machines, of an endless chain of cutters which shall traverse along the cutter-bar and a sufdcient distance above the same to allow the mown grass to drop between, the said chain being operated substantially in the manner set forth.

SAMUEL COMFORT, JR.

Witnesses:

HENRY HowsoN, WILLIAM E. WALTON. 

